Garment-displaying device.



WITNESSES H. T. LOOMIS.

GARMENT DISPLAYING DEViGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY II. 1916.

Patented J my 24, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- 11 *fi 1 Ezf'tTEP rig-'1 *lEWf A e H l H 5 5 22 20 F ==cr 18 WV 19 u c o o y P a "I I M M ATTORNEYS H. T. LOOMIS.

GARMENT DISPLAYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1915.

1,234,856, Patented July 24,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES l l/Vl/E/IITOR yaamw gii TlNTT %TT% PATENT OFFTQ HARRY TAYLOR LOOMIS, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO FRANK & LAMBERT, INCL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GARMENT-DISPLAYING DEVICE.

Application filed July 11, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY TAYLOR Looms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Garment- Displaying Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to garment display- .ing devices and, with respect to its more specific features, to devices of the character referred to capable of being folded 0r collapsed, so as to support the garment in either normal or abnormal position.

One of the objects of the invention 1s to provide a practical device of the character referred to which may be folded into compact form for transportation, and is capable of ready unfolding for exhibitlon of the garment.

Another object of the invention is the production of an eflicient device of the character mentioned whereon the garment may be removably affixed, and folded and unfolded with the device, without becoming creased or soiled to any great degree, and so that it will be in condition ready for exhibition when unfolded.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and wherein slmilar reference characters refer to sim1lar parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front view of the device when in extended position;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional v1ew of the device when in collapsed or folded. condition, and

Figs. 4- and 5 are enlarged views of certain details of construction.

The embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is designed more particularly for the application of a dress including a waistand a skirt.

As the invention is well manifested when employed in a dress support, the description appended will be cllrected more particularly to an embodiment for such purpose. In the special form illustrated the garment support comprises a collapsible stand WlllCll when collapsed, or closed, will occupy a relatively Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 24, 1917.

Serial No. 108,586.

small compass and may be readily transported or stored alongside others of a similar character, and when extended or open will stand in an erect position convenient for access to all parts and for display or exhibition purposes.

The stand or frame comprises a pair of frame members 1 and 2, each preferably consisting of longitudinal frame pieces and a cross piece, which pieces may be of wood or metal. Each of these frame members has a guideway in which the other frame member is slidable, to collapse or extend the frame, and in the present embodiment the slidable connection is effected by means of metallic clips 3 and at on the longitudinal pieces of the respective frame members, the clips being fastened to the longitudinal members of one and receiving the longitudinal members of the other. The longitudinal pieces over lap each other when the frame is extended, as in Fig. 2, and the clips are disposed at the adjacent ends of these pieces, so that they cooperate to limit the extension of the frame. By this construction it will be perceived that the frame members 1 and 2 are movable longitudinally relative to each other, a movement of the frame 1, for instance, in one direction serving to close or collapse the frame and its movement in the opposite direction serving to open or extend the frame. To lock the frame members in extended position resilient latches 5, 5, may be secured to countersinks in one frame member so as to spring out and engage the clips on the other frame member. The members to which the latches are attached are provided with slots or recesses to receive the shoulders 6 of the latches, so that the latches may be pressed inwardly so as to pass through the clips carried by the other frame member. In the present embodiment the clips secured to the one frame member do not completely encircle the longitudinal pieces of the other frame member, but their ends terminate a distance apart sufficient to provide passageways 7 and 8 for the passage of certain connections hereinafter referred to. The clips for one of the frame members are provided with ears 9, to which the upper end of a stand supporting strut 10 is pivotally joined by rods 11, the lower end being connected to the frame by pivotally joined links 12 and 13, a

The numeral 14 indicates a bust form carried by the upper frame member 1 and connected to the latter so that the bust portion of a garment, as a dress, may be applied to the front of the bust form and preferably with the edges of the opening of the dress drawn laterally around and secured in rear of the bust form by lacing or other convenient means, so that viewed from the front the waist of the dress will present the appearance of being on the person. The dotted and dash lines 15 of Fig. 2 generally illustrate the dress in position on the device. In order that the bust form may readilv lie inside the dress, it is spaced from the frame member 1, being supported by bent transverse frame members or rods 16, which are fixed to the transverse central partof the form at their central forwardly projecting portions 16, and thence extend rearwardly around the inner lateral faces of the longitudinal pieces of the member 1, and are secured to the rear faces of said longitudinal members at points 17, in alinement with the passageways 8, so that in closing and opening the frame the ends of the members 16 may pass through the passageways 8, and the lower frame member 2 will lie in a plane between the bust form and the upper frame member.

In order to prevent rumpling the skirt of the dress when the frame is collapsed, provision is made for causing the skirt to be folded therewith. To this end the bottom portion of the skirt is tacked or otherwise connected to a bottom transverse skirt attaching member 18, which may be convexed forwardly, and has its ends secured to the forward face of the member 2, as at 19. Spaced above the member 18 is another transverse member 20, in this instance a skirt folding member, also convexed or curved forwardly and attached to the front face of the member 2, the points of attachment being in alinement with the passageways 7, 7, in the clips 3, 3, attached to the other frame member. The skirt lies opposite the front of the member 20, and overlying the skirt adjacent the member 20 is a keeper device, as the horns or keepers 21, which confine the skirt laterally and obviate excessive forward bulging of the skirt.

On the lower portion of the upper frame member 1 is another transversely disposed skirt folding member 22, which is connected to the member 1 by extensions which curve or are bent around the inner lateral faces of the longitudinal pieces of the member 2, and are secured at the bottom of the longitudinal pieces of the member 1. The folding member 22 is out of both vertical and transverse alinement with the folding member 20, occupying a plane inside the latter so that when the frame is collapsed these members readily pass each other. Member 22 may also be out of vertical and transverse alinement with the skirt attaching member 18, so as to pass the upper edge of the latter and lie inside thereof, as seen in Fig. 3. The skirt is tacked to the member 18, lies outside the folding member 20 and inside the member 22. If desired, the transverse member 22 may be in the form of an elongated lock or ring through which the skirt passes. By collapsing the frame the transverse folding member 22 moves from one side of the folding member 20 to the opposite side thereof and down into proximity to the attaching member 18 or inside the latter. By this op eration the portion of the skirt between the members 20 and 22 will be carried down into position opposite the portion between the members 18 and 20, and the skirt will lie nicely in folded or abnormal shape, extending from member 18, overmember 20, under member 22, and thence to its connection with the bust form.

The numeral 23 indicates an auxiliary garment supporting portion which is movable relative to the main garment supporting portion of the bust form 14:, so as to vary the contour of thesupport, and permit the bust of the garment to lie relatively flat, or in abnormal shape, and cause it to assume expanded or normal shape. This auxiliary portion is constructed of light wire bent so as to present a wire skeleton convexing forwardly, the peripheral wires being indicated at 24 and the central wire at 25. The upper part of this wire skeleton is pivoted to the main bust supporting portion at the axis, indicated by 26, and may be turned around said axis and thus moved relative to the portion 1% so as to cause the breast of the garment to protrude (see Fig. 2), or permit the breast portion to be flattened (see Fig. To hold the auxiliary portion 23 in normal position, or outer position, a stop or pin 27 on the frame and a member, as a sleeve, 28, slidably reciprocable, transversely of the axis 26 on a bar 29 of the main supporting portion, cooperates with the member 23 to efiect movement thereof, and in one position lies against this stop. To the sleeve 28 is fixed a wire fork or cam 30, which may also take the form of a loop and which has sliding engagement with the adjacent side of a wire member 31 fixed to the auxiliary portion 23 extending transversely of the axis 26 and inclined to the path of the member As the fork moves down from its upper position, the fork has a cam action in the member 31 and forces the auxiliary support 23 to move outwardly on its pivotal axis. The stop 27 determines the lower position of the sleeve 28, and hence also the outermost position to which the auxiliary support is forced. For convenience, the member 31 forms part of a brace for the auxiliary mem ber 23, being one leg of the angular brace,

the other leg 32 forming a strut of the brace, both legs extending transversely of the axis 26, as shown. The member 28 in effect provides a handle which may be grasped to effect the reciprocatory movements thereof.

Ordinarily the dress to be exhibited is mounted on the device, the bust form being surrounded by the bust or waist portion of the dress as previously explained. The skirt is disposed inside the folding member 22, outside the folding member 20, and the bottom tacked as by light threads to the member 18. When the frame members 1 and 2 are in extended position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, with the auxiliary bust portion in outer position, the arrangement closely simulates a dress on the person and the dress may be readily examined and its lines and general appearance noted. lVhen the frame members are collapsed, the waist portion will come to position opposite the lower frame member 2 and the skirt will be nicely folded, the whole device with the attached dress occupying a relatively small compass and capable of being stored alongside others in a trunk or case.

Thus by the above described construction are accomplished, among others, the objects hereinbefore referred to.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A garment support comprising, in combination, a main supporting portion, a garment distending portion pivotally connected to the main portion, a member slidable on said main portion, and a member on said auxiliary portion slidably engaging said first-mentioned member and inclined to the path of movement of said first-mentioned member.

2. A garment support comprising, in combination, a main supporting portion, an auxiliary supporting portion pivotally connected to the main portion, a member slidable on said main portion, a member on said auxiliary portion slidably engaging said first-mentioned member and inclined to the path of movement of said first-mentiwed member, and a stop adapted to limit the slidable movement of said first-mentioned member in one direction.

3. A garment support comprising, in combination, a main supporting portion, and an auxiliary supporting portion pivotally con nected to the main portion, a handle slidably connected to said main portion, an angular member connected to said auxiliary portion, the legs of which extend transversely of the axis of said pivotal connection, and means connected to said handle and engaging said angular member to positively turn said auxiliary member when the handle is shifted.

4. A garment support comprising. in combination, a main supporting portion, and an auxiliary supporting portion pivotally connected to the main portion, a handle slidably connected to said main portion, an angular member connected to said auxiliary portion, the legs of which extend transversely of the axis of said pivotal connection, and a fork in which said legs play movable with said handle.

5. A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, and transversely disposed garment folding members. one on each of said longitudinally movable members, said garment folding members being so relatively located on the frame and to each other that one will move from one side to the other of the other transverse member in the operation of opening and closing the frame.

6. A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinal movable members, and transversely disposed garment folding members, one on each of said longitudinally movable members, said garment folding members being out of alinement both longitudinally and transversely and disposed at such points that one will move from one side to the other of the other transverse member in the operation of opening and closing the frame.

7. A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members. and transversely disposed garment folding members. one on each of said longitudinally movable members. said garment folding members being out of alinement both longitudinally and transversely and disposed at such points that one will move from one side to the other of the other transverse member in the operation of opening and closing the frame,v one of said frame members having a transverse member for attachment of the garment spaced from the other transverse member carried by the same frame.

8. A garment support comprising, in comb nati n colla si le fr m c mp i i a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, and transversely disposed garment folding members, one on each of said longitudinally movable members, said garment folding member being out of alinement both longitudinally and transversely and disposed at such points that one will'move from one side to the other of the other transverse member in the operation of opening and closing the frame, the transverse member of one frame comprising a loop through which the garment passes, and keepers overlying the portion of the garment adjacent the other transverse member.

9. A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, transversely disposed garment folding members, one on each of said firstmentioned members, said garment folding members being disposed out of alinement both longitudinally and transversely and at such points that one will move from one side to the other of the other transverse member in the operation of opening and closing the frame, one of said frame members having a guideway in which the other frame member is slidable to open and close said frame.

10. A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, transversely disposed garment folding members, one on each of said firstmentioned members, said garment folding member being disposed out of alinement both longitudinally and transversely and at such points that one will move from one side to the other of the other transverse member in the operation of opening and closing the frame, one of said frame members having guiding clips on one frame member adapted to receive the other frame member, said clips having passageways in longitudinal alinement with the points where a transverse member is connected to said last-mentioned frame member.

11. A garment support comprising, in

combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, transversely disposed garment folding members, one on each of said firstmentioned members, said garment folding members being disposed out of alinement both longitudinally and transversely and at such points that one will move from one side to the other of the other transverse member in the operation of opening and closing the frame, a bust form carried by oneof said frame members, and guiding clips on each frame member, the clips on the respective members having passageways in longitudinal alinement with the points where the bust form is connected. to one frame member and one of said folding members to the other frame member.

12. A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, transversely disposed garment folding members, one on each of said firstmentioned members, said garment folding members being disposed out of alinement both longitudinally and transversely and at such points that one will move from one side to the other of the other transverse member in the operation of opening and closing the frame, a bust form carried by one of said frame members, guiding clips on each frame member, the clips on the respective members having passageways in longitudinal alinement with the points where the bust form is connected to one frame member and one of said folding. members to the other frame member, and latches connected to one frame member for locking the frame in open position, disposed to pass through the passageways of the clips of the other member.

13. A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, transversely disposed garment folding members, one on each of said movable members, and out of vertical alinement with each other, and a bust form carried by one of said frame members, comprising an auxiliary garment supporting portion movable into and out of normal garment supporting position.

14. In a device of the character described, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members adapted to support a garment, and means mounted on said movable members adapted, when said frame is collapsed, to cause said garment to be folded into a predetermined position.

15. In a device of the character described, in combination, a collapsible frame, com prising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members adapted to support a garment, and means mounted on said movable members adapted when said frame is collapsed to cause said garment to become folded into a predetermined position, and adapted when said frame is extended to cause said garment to become unfolded into longitudisaid garment into a predetermined position' when said stand is collapsed, and to place said skirt in a predetermined extended position When said stand is extended.

17 A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively movable members, a garment support mounted on said frame, and means mounted on said members for folding a garment when said members are relatively moved.

18. A garment support comprising, in combination, a collapsible frame comprising a pair of relatively longitudinally movable members, an element mounted upon said frame for folding the garment into three substantially parallel portions When said members are relatively moved.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY TAYLOR LOOMIS.

lVitnesses MINNIE Roos, LILLLAN WILLIs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

